Norm Macdonald’s most popular impression on Saturday Night Live was Burt Reynolds, the ‘70s action-comedy star who… Wait, what’s this? Mr. Reynolds has entered a new name on the podium. He’d now like to be referred to as “Turd Ferguson.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Turd Ferguson. It’s a funny name.”
By his own admission, Macdonald wasn’t much of a sketch comedian, preferring to stay behind the Weekend Update desk and deliver one-liners. But he made an exception when it came to Reynolds. “I knew that if I did an impression of him it would get a laugh because he has such great comic timing and delivery,” Macdonald told Paste Magazine in 2018 after Reynolds’ passing. “So it was really stealing his persona to get laughs, you know. But I could never figure out a way. This guy that I wrote with, Steve Higgins … me and Higgins...
“Yeah, that’s right. Turd Ferguson. It’s a funny name.”
By his own admission, Macdonald wasn’t much of a sketch comedian, preferring to stay behind the Weekend Update desk and deliver one-liners. But he made an exception when it came to Reynolds. “I knew that if I did an impression of him it would get a laugh because he has such great comic timing and delivery,” Macdonald told Paste Magazine in 2018 after Reynolds’ passing. “So it was really stealing his persona to get laughs, you know. But I could never figure out a way. This guy that I wrote with, Steve Higgins … me and Higgins...
- 9/17/2024
- Cracked
Norm Macdonald passed away in 2021, but to quote Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (and that one episode of Seinfeld), he’s not really gone as long as we remember him.
Obviously, Macdonald left behind a huge body of work, not just his on-camera performances, but his writing as well. Like his 2016 book Based on a True Story: A Memoir, which, despite its title, was a mischievous fantasy that critics compared to the writing of Hunter S. Thompson.
Then there was Macdonald’s Twitter account (he obviously didn’t live to see it rebranded as “X”), which is quite the repository of material. Not just jokes, but poems, short fiction and personal anecdotes. There’s his lengthy account of the time he had a sleepover with Bob Dylan. Or his story about how Robin Williams, the “funniest man in the world,” calmed the “terrified” Macdonald before his first ever Letterman appearance,...
Obviously, Macdonald left behind a huge body of work, not just his on-camera performances, but his writing as well. Like his 2016 book Based on a True Story: A Memoir, which, despite its title, was a mischievous fantasy that critics compared to the writing of Hunter S. Thompson.
Then there was Macdonald’s Twitter account (he obviously didn’t live to see it rebranded as “X”), which is quite the repository of material. Not just jokes, but poems, short fiction and personal anecdotes. There’s his lengthy account of the time he had a sleepover with Bob Dylan. Or his story about how Robin Williams, the “funniest man in the world,” calmed the “terrified” Macdonald before his first ever Letterman appearance,...
- 9/12/2024
- Cracked
In Adam Sandler’s newest Netflix stand-up special Love You, the Uncut Gems and Jack and Jill star’s Safdie-Sandler era struggles under the massive weight of his many dick jokes.
Sandler’s first collaboration with the elite indie filmmaker Josh Safdie proved to be one of the most important projects of his career. When Uncut Gems premiered in 2019, it had been 17 years since Punch-Drunk Love last proved that The Sandman could pull off a more nuanced role than “man-child who yells a lot” in a film that’s more artistically ambitious than the average Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. The success of Uncut Gems led to a renaissance in Sandler’s non-family-film career as he went on to produce and star in more challenging projects in his pursuit of an Oscar nomination that continues to this day.
However, the change of direction within Sandler’s career that culminated in the release...
Sandler’s first collaboration with the elite indie filmmaker Josh Safdie proved to be one of the most important projects of his career. When Uncut Gems premiered in 2019, it had been 17 years since Punch-Drunk Love last proved that The Sandman could pull off a more nuanced role than “man-child who yells a lot” in a film that’s more artistically ambitious than the average Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. The success of Uncut Gems led to a renaissance in Sandler’s non-family-film career as he went on to produce and star in more challenging projects in his pursuit of an Oscar nomination that continues to this day.
However, the change of direction within Sandler’s career that culminated in the release...
- 8/27/2024
- Cracked
Gilbert Gottfried blew it. His job squawking “Af-lac!” on insurance commercials was one of the cushiest gigs around, earning him big paychecks for easy afternoons of voice-over work. He lost the gig in 2011, however, when he took to Twitter to make jokes about a Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Reminiscent of his 9/11 jokes that practically invented the term “too soon,” Gottfried unleashed one-liners like “I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, ‘They’ll be another one floating by any minute now.’”
Despite an eventual apology, Gottfried’s gags were a step too far for Aflac, which didn’t want its duck associated with such insensitivity. Japan accounted for about 75 percent of Aflac’s business, so the breakup with Gottfried was understandable. But it meant the insurer needed a new duck voice, prompting a casting call that saw more than 12,000 people competing to quack for Aflac.
Despite an eventual apology, Gottfried’s gags were a step too far for Aflac, which didn’t want its duck associated with such insensitivity. Japan accounted for about 75 percent of Aflac’s business, so the breakup with Gottfried was understandable. But it meant the insurer needed a new duck voice, prompting a casting call that saw more than 12,000 people competing to quack for Aflac.
- 8/27/2024
- Cracked
Norm Macdonald and David Spade had overlapping tenures on Saturday Night Live, with Macdonald starting in 1993 and Spade heading for other pastures in 1996. But the two remained connected over the years, performing together on Adam Sandler’s “Here Comes the Funny” tour and somehow ending up on the same talk show panels several times before Macdonald’s untimely death in 2021. Whether they were talking to Larry King, Dennis Miller or Conan O’Brien, the two comics loved to rip one another to pieces, as seen in a new YouTube compilation uploaded to the I’m Not Norm channel. Here are some of the funniest burns from the two comics’s talk show appearances over the years.
Talking to Dennis Miller
MacDonald: This Viagra, it's insane … I read the pill can make your cock hard for four hours. So now who has the four-hour hard cock? The impotent guys! The rest of us are fucked.
Talking to Dennis Miller
MacDonald: This Viagra, it's insane … I read the pill can make your cock hard for four hours. So now who has the four-hour hard cock? The impotent guys! The rest of us are fucked.
- 8/23/2024
- Cracked
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Easy to say until you’re the one Saturday Night Live is mocking.
What happens when SNL impressionists are forced to reckon with the consequences of their comedy? Lucky for the comics, most spoofed celebrities enjoy being in on the joke. But as you’ll see in these five examples, that isn’t always the case…
1 Jim Breuer and Joe Pesci
If you don’t count Goat Boy — and who does, really? — Joe Pesci was Breuer’s most popular character. Breuer played him nine times as host of the fictional Joe Pesci Show, portraying the actor as the Mafia goon he played in movies like Goodfellas.
“I grew up with some characters so I know that world exists,” Breuer explained on the Opie & Anthony Show. And when Pesci showed up for a cameo on SNL, he lived up to that reputation during a backstage visit with Breuer.
What happens when SNL impressionists are forced to reckon with the consequences of their comedy? Lucky for the comics, most spoofed celebrities enjoy being in on the joke. But as you’ll see in these five examples, that isn’t always the case…
1 Jim Breuer and Joe Pesci
If you don’t count Goat Boy — and who does, really? — Joe Pesci was Breuer’s most popular character. Breuer played him nine times as host of the fictional Joe Pesci Show, portraying the actor as the Mafia goon he played in movies like Goodfellas.
“I grew up with some characters so I know that world exists,” Breuer explained on the Opie & Anthony Show. And when Pesci showed up for a cameo on SNL, he lived up to that reputation during a backstage visit with Breuer.
- 8/17/2024
- Cracked
One secret benefit to anchoring Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live? Even though fans might not think of you as the star of the show, you’re probably going to log more screen time than any other cast member. Right, Colin Jost?
Gary Dell’Abate gets it. “The thing that you always had when you were on the show that everyone didn’t have — you knew you were going to be on every week because of Weekend Update,” the Howard Stern producer told Kevin Nealon this week. “And everybody didn’t know they were going to be on every week.”
Didn’t that make Nealon’s cast mates jealous? The atmosphere on Saturday Night Live can be cutthroat, Nealon admitted, but the competition is often hidden. “Nobody's coming right out where it’s obvious that they’re competitive and they’re doing things to try to undermine you.”
That said, rivalry...
Gary Dell’Abate gets it. “The thing that you always had when you were on the show that everyone didn’t have — you knew you were going to be on every week because of Weekend Update,” the Howard Stern producer told Kevin Nealon this week. “And everybody didn’t know they were going to be on every week.”
Didn’t that make Nealon’s cast mates jealous? The atmosphere on Saturday Night Live can be cutthroat, Nealon admitted, but the competition is often hidden. “Nobody's coming right out where it’s obvious that they’re competitive and they’re doing things to try to undermine you.”
That said, rivalry...
- 8/9/2024
- Cracked
Undeniably, Jeopardy! can be entertaining especially with the introduction of celebrities in the mix. However, fans call out the worst celebrities to be on Celebrity Jeopardy! Furthermore, some proposed twists pop up as well during the discussion.
Celebrity Jeopardy! At Its Finest
While the original Jeopardy! is full of entertainment, its spinoff series, Celebrity Jeopardy! sports its own fun. Furthermore, it pulls in celebrity contestants to compete for a chance to win money for the charity of their choice. Undeniably, it has been a riot to watch some of their attempts over the first two seasons. Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings have hosted many familiar faces competing for the win. Likewise, SNL has paved the way by showing hilarious sketches of famous faces pretending to play the legendary game. But now, fans are calling out the worst celebrities for the show.
Ken Jennings – Jeopardy! Fans Call Out Worst Celebrities To Be On Jeopardy!
Celebrity Jeopardy! At Its Finest
While the original Jeopardy! is full of entertainment, its spinoff series, Celebrity Jeopardy! sports its own fun. Furthermore, it pulls in celebrity contestants to compete for a chance to win money for the charity of their choice. Undeniably, it has been a riot to watch some of their attempts over the first two seasons. Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings have hosted many familiar faces competing for the win. Likewise, SNL has paved the way by showing hilarious sketches of famous faces pretending to play the legendary game. But now, fans are calling out the worst celebrities for the show.
Ken Jennings – Jeopardy! Fans Call Out Worst Celebrities To Be On Jeopardy!
- 8/7/2024
- by Bonnie Kaiser-Gambill
- TV Shows Ace
Punkie Johnson’s departure from Saturday Night Live this week is the latest evidence that, more often than not, stand-up comics have a hard time making the transition to sketch comedy. Bill Murray called it. “Nowadays there’s probably more stand-ups that end up on the show, sort of more individual guys, than there used to be,” he says in SNL oral history Live From New York. “They’re individually good, but they maybe don’t have that particular skill or training or as much experience in that area.”
“That area” is sketch comedy. That’s why so many of the show’s all-time great cast members — John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Kristin Wiig, Kenan Thompson and Bill Hader, to name a few — came to the show from a sketch comedy background, often trained at Second City or the Groundlings. In Murray’s view,...
“That area” is sketch comedy. That’s why so many of the show’s all-time great cast members — John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Kristin Wiig, Kenan Thompson and Bill Hader, to name a few — came to the show from a sketch comedy background, often trained at Second City or the Groundlings. In Murray’s view,...
- 8/2/2024
- Cracked
For a long time, the world of Star Trek simply wasn’t that funny. Sure, there were the occasional moments of humor; the Enterprise becoming overrun with furry alien balls, Checkov asking about “Nuclear Wessels,” Dr. Crusher being brought to climax by the green Irish cloud monster that used to date her grandmother.
But then came Star Trek: Lower Decks, from Rick and Morty producer Mike McMahan, which, somewhat unusually, poked fun at Star Trek from within the Star Trek franchise itself.
Clearly the pivot to comedy was a successful one, because now the Star Trek franchise is apparently going to give us a straight-up sitcom.
During the weekend’s Star Trek Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Justin Simien, of Dear White People fame, and comedian Tawny Newsome, who voices Lower Decks’ Ensign Mariner, are currently developing a “new live-action Star Trek series for Paramount+.
But then came Star Trek: Lower Decks, from Rick and Morty producer Mike McMahan, which, somewhat unusually, poked fun at Star Trek from within the Star Trek franchise itself.
Clearly the pivot to comedy was a successful one, because now the Star Trek franchise is apparently going to give us a straight-up sitcom.
During the weekend’s Star Trek Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Justin Simien, of Dear White People fame, and comedian Tawny Newsome, who voices Lower Decks’ Ensign Mariner, are currently developing a “new live-action Star Trek series for Paramount+.
- 7/30/2024
- Cracked
Comic legend Bob Newhart has passed away at the age of 94. His longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that Newhart died in his Los Angeles home on Thursday, July 18, following a series of short illnesses. As a young man, Newhart served in the Korean War and briefly worked as an accountant, before switching careers and becoming the famous stand-up comedian and actor we've come to know and love.
He first came to prominence in 1960 with his comedy album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which he followed up with "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back." His most famous recurring stand-up schtick was playing the straight man to an implied funny man, often pretend-talking on the phone and letting us imagine what the other person was saying. You can see this clearly in his famous routine, "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball," where he plays a games manufacturer listening to Abner Doubleday,...
He first came to prominence in 1960 with his comedy album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which he followed up with "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back." His most famous recurring stand-up schtick was playing the straight man to an implied funny man, often pretend-talking on the phone and letting us imagine what the other person was saying. You can see this clearly in his famous routine, "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball," where he plays a games manufacturer listening to Abner Doubleday,...
- 7/18/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
Comedy legend has it that Norm Macdonald lost his gig as Saturday Night Live’s most acerbic Weekend Update anchor because he refused to stop joking about O.J. Simpson. But that’s not exactly true. Macdonald’s partner-in-crime, longtime SNL writer Jim Downey, tells a more nuanced version of the story.
NBC honchos were indeed angry about the relentless O.J. jokes but blamed Downey for their endless repetition. Their solution: Get rid of the writer. “The network went to Norm and said, ‘We want to get rid of Jim Downey,’” said Downey himself on an episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. The network wanted Macdonald to know that it was giving Downey the ax and ensure that he was cool with the decision.
Macdonald was anything but: “No. You can’t fire him. If you fire him, I quit.”
That’s crazy,...
Comedy legend has it that Norm Macdonald lost his gig as Saturday Night Live’s most acerbic Weekend Update anchor because he refused to stop joking about O.J. Simpson. But that’s not exactly true. Macdonald’s partner-in-crime, longtime SNL writer Jim Downey, tells a more nuanced version of the story.
NBC honchos were indeed angry about the relentless O.J. jokes but blamed Downey for their endless repetition. Their solution: Get rid of the writer. “The network went to Norm and said, ‘We want to get rid of Jim Downey,’” said Downey himself on an episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. The network wanted Macdonald to know that it was giving Downey the ax and ensure that he was cool with the decision.
Macdonald was anything but: “No. You can’t fire him. If you fire him, I quit.”
That’s crazy,...
- 6/28/2024
- Cracked
Sarah Sherman recently completed her third season as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” and as she looks back at Season 49 as a whole, she now declares, “It was a lot! It was really fun. It was the busiest season I’ve ever had. I finally got to do a season where it’s like, ‘You have to change your wig a million times an episode, and you have a bunch of quick changes.'” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
After Season 49 of “SNL” wrapped up on May 18, Sherman remembers thinking, “Why am I so much more tired at the end of this season than I have been at the end of every other season? It’s because, oh, I had to get an owl beak ripped off my face, got all the glue cleaned up and got turned into a human woman in like 30 seconds,” she chuckles before adding,...
After Season 49 of “SNL” wrapped up on May 18, Sherman remembers thinking, “Why am I so much more tired at the end of this season than I have been at the end of every other season? It’s because, oh, I had to get an owl beak ripped off my face, got all the glue cleaned up and got turned into a human woman in like 30 seconds,” she chuckles before adding,...
- 6/12/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
While, Hulu is not as flashy as some of the other streaming services like Netflix, Max, and Disney+, it has a solid library of shows that are both originals and licensed through various studios. Regarding sci-fi shows, Hulu doesn’t have any big names like 3 Body Problem or Westworld, but it makes up for that by carrying some great new and old shows like Devs and The X-Files, which were loved by millions of people. So, we thought of making a list of the best sci-fi TV shows you can find on Hulu right now.
Rick and Morty Credit – Adult Swim
Rick and Morty is an adult animated sci-fi adventure comedy series created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. The Adult Swim series follows the story of Rick Sanchez, the smartest man on Earth who lives with his daughter’s family. Rick and his grandson go on various life-threatening...
Rick and Morty Credit – Adult Swim
Rick and Morty is an adult animated sci-fi adventure comedy series created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. The Adult Swim series follows the story of Rick Sanchez, the smartest man on Earth who lives with his daughter’s family. Rick and his grandson go on various life-threatening...
- 6/3/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
The key to understanding Conan O’Brien’s comedy is knowing that it comes from a point of kindness. Yes, I know in this age of comics punching down, this kind of compliment may leave you with a neon “Must Avoid!” sign flashing in your bleary eyes — but stay with me.
Here is an example. Early in the first episode of his new, four-episode Max travel show “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” Conan — who has earned the right to be referred to by his first name. See: Carson, Johnny — travels to Oslo, Norway. There, he pops in on Jarle, a Norwegian waif of a rapper that Conan had originally met on a segment of his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast. In the podcast video, Jarle’s hair was combed and he seemed coherent. Then Conan surprises him. Jarle comes to the door, and he’s maybe 110 pounds in a long sleeve T-shirt,...
Here is an example. Early in the first episode of his new, four-episode Max travel show “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” Conan — who has earned the right to be referred to by his first name. See: Carson, Johnny — travels to Oslo, Norway. There, he pops in on Jarle, a Norwegian waif of a rapper that Conan had originally met on a segment of his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast. In the podcast video, Jarle’s hair was combed and he seemed coherent. Then Conan surprises him. Jarle comes to the door, and he’s maybe 110 pounds in a long sleeve T-shirt,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Stephen Rodrick
- Variety Film + TV
When news of O.J. Simpson’s death broke last week, it wasn’t met with the normal outpouring of condolences and fond memories typically seen following a celebrity’s passing.
In a strange twist of fate, instead those feelings were directed at Simpson’s longtime antagonist, the late Norm Macdonald, whose years of savage jokes about Simpson instantly resurfaced, introducing his brutal brand of comedy to a whole new generation of fans.
“Here’s 10+ minutes of Norm Macdonald sh*tting on O.J. Simpson,” read one tweet, posted shortly after Simpson’s death was first reported. Featuring a supercut of Macdonald’s Simpson jokes, it’s been viewed nearly 5 million times. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
From 1994 to 1997, Macdonald held court as the anchor of SNL’s “Weekend Update,” where he was arguably the most polarizing comedian to ever sit behind the desk.
“I’m Norm Macdonald.
In a strange twist of fate, instead those feelings were directed at Simpson’s longtime antagonist, the late Norm Macdonald, whose years of savage jokes about Simpson instantly resurfaced, introducing his brutal brand of comedy to a whole new generation of fans.
“Here’s 10+ minutes of Norm Macdonald sh*tting on O.J. Simpson,” read one tweet, posted shortly after Simpson’s death was first reported. Featuring a supercut of Macdonald’s Simpson jokes, it’s been viewed nearly 5 million times. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
From 1994 to 1997, Macdonald held court as the anchor of SNL’s “Weekend Update,” where he was arguably the most polarizing comedian to ever sit behind the desk.
“I’m Norm Macdonald.
- 4/17/2024
- by Jennifer M. Wood
- LateNighter
Saturday Night Live‘s Weekend Update, which famously saw Norm Macdonald make O.J. Simpson the target of many a punchline from behind the desk some thirty years ago, marked the former football player’s death with a quite different tone.
“O.J. Simpson died this week at the age of 76 after a battle with prostate cancer��that was planted on him by the LAPD,” Michael Che joked.
Colin Jost then riffed on the Los Angeles Times erroneously writing “Trump” in place of “Simpson” when mentioning his 2017 release on parole from...
“O.J. Simpson died this week at the age of 76 after a battle with prostate cancer��that was planted on him by the LAPD,” Michael Che joked.
Colin Jost then riffed on the Los Angeles Times erroneously writing “Trump” in place of “Simpson” when mentioning his 2017 release on parole from...
- 4/14/2024
- by William Vaillancourt
- Rollingstone.com
With the passing of controversial pop culture figure O.J. Simpson this week, some of us could only think of one thing…Ok, maybe not just that. There was also the constant flaming of O.J. from Norm Macdonald during his tenure on Saturday Night Live, using his Weekend Update anchor duties to shred Simpson every single week. Unfortunately, his insistence on taking jabs at Simpson ultimately resulted in him being fired, as producer Don Ohlmeyer was good friends with Simpson.
Commenting on both the grip that the O.J. Simpson case had on the American public and Macdonald ripping it on Weekend Update, Conan O’Brien – who frequently had Norm on as a guest – told Jake Tapper, “It was a huge deal back then. Most notably…Norm Macdonald– one of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time – just told some of the most difficult,...
Commenting on both the grip that the O.J. Simpson case had on the American public and Macdonald ripping it on Weekend Update, Conan O’Brien – who frequently had Norm on as a guest – told Jake Tapper, “It was a huge deal back then. Most notably…Norm Macdonald– one of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time – just told some of the most difficult,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The Internet Is Rediscovering Norm MacDonald’s Bold O.J. Simpson Jokes That Got Him Fired From ‘SNL’
There have been a lot of noteworthy responses to the news that O.J. Simpson died, but there’s one perspective some folks on the internet seem to want to hear the most: that of the late, great Norm MacDonald, who sacrificed his very job on Saturday Night Live in the relentless pursuit of a punchline about his belief in the former football star’s guilt. Of course, MacDonald is no longer here to offer any new words, having died in 2021. However, he said plenty while he was alive and on air about the double murder trial and eventual acquittal of Simpson, who was accused of murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Highlights reels of MacDonald’s many, many “Weekend Update” jokes about Simpson on SNL have been going viral all over Twitter ever since the news first dropped. MacDonald was seated at the table for...
- 4/12/2024
- TV Insider
It’s a bit of an irony that just as NBC’s “Must-See TV” juggernaut took off in 1994, execs there found themselves right in the middle of a completely different kind of televised spectacle: The O.J. Simpson arrest, trial and eventual acquittal.
Not only was then-nbc West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer one of Simpson’s best friends, but just a month before the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman — followed by Simpson’s white Ford Bronco flight from justice and arrest — NBC had passed on a pilot starring the ex-football-star.
“It was just a strange time to be there because of Don’s loyalty to O.J.,” recalled Preston Beckman, who was NBC’s head of scheduling at the time, and one of Ohlmeyer’s and NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield’s key lieutenants. Ohlmeyer would occasionally bring up Simpson during the network’s afternoon meetings in their Burbank offices,...
Not only was then-nbc West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer one of Simpson’s best friends, but just a month before the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman — followed by Simpson’s white Ford Bronco flight from justice and arrest — NBC had passed on a pilot starring the ex-football-star.
“It was just a strange time to be there because of Don’s loyalty to O.J.,” recalled Preston Beckman, who was NBC’s head of scheduling at the time, and one of Ohlmeyer’s and NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield’s key lieutenants. Ohlmeyer would occasionally bring up Simpson during the network’s afternoon meetings in their Burbank offices,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Conan O’Brien appeared on CNN for an interview with Jake Tapper a few hours after news broke that O.J. Simpson had died. Making the press rounds in support of his new Max series “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” the comedian and former late-night host quipped “I never make a joke about someone the day they passed.” But O’Brien did reflect on the time when late-night shows had to cover O.J. Simpson’s murder trial.
“It was a huge deal back then. Most notably, he’s passed on, but Norm Macdonald,” O’Brien said. “One of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time. He did the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that period.”
Related: What happened to O.J. Simpson’s ‘Frogmen’ TV pilot and did NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer demote Saturday Night Live’s Norm Macdonald for his O.J.
“It was a huge deal back then. Most notably, he’s passed on, but Norm Macdonald,” O’Brien said. “One of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time. He did the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that period.”
Related: What happened to O.J. Simpson’s ‘Frogmen’ TV pilot and did NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer demote Saturday Night Live’s Norm Macdonald for his O.J.
- 4/12/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
O.J. Simpson was on everyone’s mind today after his death, and Conan O’Brien took the opportunity to salute his late friend, comic Norm Macdonald, who continued doing Simpson jokes on Saturday Night Live even after being warned by NBC higher-ups to knock it off.
Sitting Thursday with CNN’s Jake Tapper to promote his new show, Conan O’Brien Must Go, the former Late Night host remembered Macdonald for doing “some of the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that whole period.”
It eventually led to his firing by NBC head Don Ohlmeyer in 1998. O’Brien explained that “The head of the network at the time was tight with O.J.”
O’Brien praised Macdonald as “one of my best guests of all-time,” and “one of the great comedians of all-time.”
Macdonald anchored SNL‘s “Weekend Update” segment for the 20th season, which ran during the Simpson trial. He insisted Simpson was guilty,...
Sitting Thursday with CNN’s Jake Tapper to promote his new show, Conan O’Brien Must Go, the former Late Night host remembered Macdonald for doing “some of the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that whole period.”
It eventually led to his firing by NBC head Don Ohlmeyer in 1998. O’Brien explained that “The head of the network at the time was tight with O.J.”
O’Brien praised Macdonald as “one of my best guests of all-time,” and “one of the great comedians of all-time.”
Macdonald anchored SNL‘s “Weekend Update” segment for the 20th season, which ran during the Simpson trial. He insisted Simpson was guilty,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Over its half-century run, Saturday Night Live has inevitably booked some problematic hosts, including Andrew Dice Clay, (misogynist humor); Rudy Giuliani (illegal campaign activities); Robert Blake (tried for murder); Elon Musk (general insufferability and dalliance with neo Nazis) and Donald Trump (attempted overthow of the US government.)
And then there’s O.J. Simpson, who hosted in 1978, toward the end of his record-setting football career, and went on to be very credibly accused of double murder.
Though erased forever from the list of prospective return hosts, Simpson managed to make almost innumerable later appearances on the show, when Norm Macdonald used his position as anchor of “Weekend Update” to pound on Simpson mercilessly for being a vicious murderer (despite his subsequent acquittal).
According to Norm, his quest for humor (and justice) wound up getting him fired from the show. He said the late NBC West Coast President, Don Ohlmeyer, who...
And then there’s O.J. Simpson, who hosted in 1978, toward the end of his record-setting football career, and went on to be very credibly accused of double murder.
Though erased forever from the list of prospective return hosts, Simpson managed to make almost innumerable later appearances on the show, when Norm Macdonald used his position as anchor of “Weekend Update” to pound on Simpson mercilessly for being a vicious murderer (despite his subsequent acquittal).
According to Norm, his quest for humor (and justice) wound up getting him fired from the show. He said the late NBC West Coast President, Don Ohlmeyer, who...
- 4/12/2024
- by Bill Carter
- LateNighter
There was nothing inherently funny about the late O.J. Simpson‘s nearly yearlong trial on two murder charges. His ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman had been brutally stabbed to death, and the prosecution was arguing that Simpson’s history of domestic abuse in his marriage had culminated in this act of deadly violence.
But Simpson’s celebrity as a football and movie star, his high-powered “Dream Team” of lawyers, the bizarre Ford Bronco chase before his arrest, and the sense that Los Angeles could once more...
But Simpson’s celebrity as a football and movie star, his high-powered “Dream Team” of lawyers, the bizarre Ford Bronco chase before his arrest, and the sense that Los Angeles could once more...
- 4/11/2024
- by Miles Klee
- Rollingstone.com
A lot of stand-up comedians have bad nights, but only a select few get leaked to mainstream media and prove to be TMZ fodder. But that’s just what happened to Nick Swardson at a recent gig, showing up on stage inebriated to the point that he couldn’t go on with his act and was escorted off stage.
In clips that surfaced online, Nick Swardson is seen repeatedly saying, “Here we go” and referring to Jason Statham in The Beekeeper, teasing an impression that never quite materialized in the way Swardson probably intended. This was quickly greeted with boos and walk-outs. At one point he asks, “Do you want me to finish this or no?” Tickets buyers did not, to which Swardson sloppily responded, “But what if… I finish this?” He was not allowed to finish his set, being taken off stage around 20 minutes in. At this point, a stage manager told the crowd,...
In clips that surfaced online, Nick Swardson is seen repeatedly saying, “Here we go” and referring to Jason Statham in The Beekeeper, teasing an impression that never quite materialized in the way Swardson probably intended. This was quickly greeted with boos and walk-outs. At one point he asks, “Do you want me to finish this or no?” Tickets buyers did not, to which Swardson sloppily responded, “But what if… I finish this?” He was not allowed to finish his set, being taken off stage around 20 minutes in. At this point, a stage manager told the crowd,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
When you think of Ashlee Simpson, there’s probably only one image that comes to mind: her lip-syncing snafu on SNL, in which she went to perform her second song of the night, only for the playback to trigger her first song, “Pieces of Me”. She had been caught going full Milli Vanilli. And to get herself out of the situation, Simpson basically la-la’d her way off stage while doing a jig, leaving her band behind to “play”. Twenty years after the incident, Simpson is remembering the moment as a life lesson. But this may not be the case for others who also made some serious bonehead moves on SNL…
It’s extremely rare for musical guests on SNL to go through gaffes of Ashlee Simpson’s magnitude: musicians like Elvis Costello would instead raise intentional hell by playing whatever song he wanted, while Sinead O’Connor used her moment to send a message.
It’s extremely rare for musical guests on SNL to go through gaffes of Ashlee Simpson’s magnitude: musicians like Elvis Costello would instead raise intentional hell by playing whatever song he wanted, while Sinead O’Connor used her moment to send a message.
- 2/21/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
If you didn't know Quentin Tarantino hosted "Saturday Night Live" in the 1990s, and had to guess when he took the Studio 8H stage, your best options would be early 1995 (when the zeitgeisty "Pulp Fiction" was speeding toward an Academy Awards showdown with "Forrest Gump"), early 1996 (to promote "From Dusk till Dawn") or late 1997/early 1998 (in support of "Jackie Brown"). None of these would be correct.
No, the brash indie filmmaking sensation guested on November 11, 1995, with nothing to promote but himself. This might seem peculiar now, but it made perfect sense at the time because, after the Oscars, Tarantino was hitting the talk show circuit harder than Don Rickles. Could you blame him? He'd skyrocketed from know-it-all video store clerk to generational filmmaking genius. The problem here was that Tarantino knew he was a genius before critics and fans started telling him so. As a result, he felt free to...
No, the brash indie filmmaking sensation guested on November 11, 1995, with nothing to promote but himself. This might seem peculiar now, but it made perfect sense at the time because, after the Oscars, Tarantino was hitting the talk show circuit harder than Don Rickles. Could you blame him? He'd skyrocketed from know-it-all video store clerk to generational filmmaking genius. The problem here was that Tarantino knew he was a genius before critics and fans started telling him so. As a result, he felt free to...
- 2/19/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Death has taken many forms in media over the decades — from a Norm MacDonald-voiced Grim Reaper in Family Guy to an anthropologically-minded Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black — but no depiction is quite like in Tuesday. For the first trailer of the upcoming film, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has the ominous fate appear in the form of a shape-shifting, gravelly-voiced talking parrot.
“Madam, you need to say goodbye to your daughter,” Death warns Louis-Dreyfus.
The latest film from A24 is shaping up to be a tear-jerking drama as Lola Petticrew plays...
“Madam, you need to say goodbye to your daughter,” Death warns Louis-Dreyfus.
The latest film from A24 is shaping up to be a tear-jerking drama as Lola Petticrew plays...
- 1/26/2024
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer, the comic’s seventh stand-up special for Netflix, opens with a quote about the nature of success by Henry David Thoreau before capturing the comic in stark black-and-white, moving through the crowd in slow-mo (cigarette in hand, naturally) to Radiohead’s “Daydreaming,” like a championship boxer before a fight. We’re at the Lincoln Theatre in Chappelle’s hometown of Washington, D.C., the very place where he filmed his first stand-up special, Killin’ Them Softly, 24 years ago. Quite a lot’s changed since then,...
- 12/31/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Adam Sandler first introduced “The Chanukah Song” in 1994 during the “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live.” Although he penned the holiday tune himself, Sandler revealed in an interview with Access Hollywood that Roseanne Barr — who was hosting that week — almost performed the song on the late-night show.
“They were talking about Roseanne singing it,” Sandler recalled. “And she was nice enough to say ‘no, let Adam do that, that’s his, he wrote it, that’s his song.'”
During the “Weekend Update” segment with Norm Macdonald in 1994, Sandler explained that he wrote “The Chanukah Song” after noticing the lack of music about Hanukkah.
“Put on your yarmulke. Here comes Hanukkah. So much funukah. To celebrate Hanukkah,” Sandler sang. “Hanukkah is the festival of lights. Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights.”
Sandler then listed several celebrities who are Jewish, including David Lee Roth, James Caan,...
“They were talking about Roseanne singing it,” Sandler recalled. “And she was nice enough to say ‘no, let Adam do that, that’s his, he wrote it, that’s his song.'”
During the “Weekend Update” segment with Norm Macdonald in 1994, Sandler explained that he wrote “The Chanukah Song” after noticing the lack of music about Hanukkah.
“Put on your yarmulke. Here comes Hanukkah. So much funukah. To celebrate Hanukkah,” Sandler sang. “Hanukkah is the festival of lights. Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights.”
Sandler then listed several celebrities who are Jewish, including David Lee Roth, James Caan,...
- 11/21/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
"Friends" was one of the most popular shows on television from the mid '90s into the early 2000s. Running for 10 seasons, and a total of 236 episodes, the series turned every single one of its main cast members into television superstars, and some of them even went on to have very lucrative film careers. When you're at the top of the TV ratings charts, there's one privilege that is truly an honor: hosting "Saturday Night Live."
"Saturday Night Live" is not only a late night staple, but it's a comedy institution. And since "Friends" was all the rage, almost everyone got to take the stage in Studio 8H and host an episode of "SNL." Though Matt Le Blanc never graced the "SNL" stage as host, Courteney Cox was first of the "Friends" cast to get the gig in April 1995, and David Schwimmer followed in October 1995. Lisa Kudrow hosted a year...
"Saturday Night Live" is not only a late night staple, but it's a comedy institution. And since "Friends" was all the rage, almost everyone got to take the stage in Studio 8H and host an episode of "SNL." Though Matt Le Blanc never graced the "SNL" stage as host, Courteney Cox was first of the "Friends" cast to get the gig in April 1995, and David Schwimmer followed in October 1995. Lisa Kudrow hosted a year...
- 10/29/2023
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Netflix on Thursday morning unveiled Improv: 60 and Still Standing, a comedy special celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Improv comedy clubs, which will premiere globally on the streamer November 7th.
For six decades, The Improv has stood as a trailblazer in the realm of live comedy, serving as one of the primary platforms for both up-and-coming and veteran comedians. In honor of its anniversary, 10 globally acclaimed comedians will light up the stage in Hollywood for a special evening at The Improv, alongside never-before-seen archival footage from today’s household names.
The comics dropping in for short sets include Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Bert Kreischer, Craig Robinson, Deon Cole, Fortune Feimster, Jeff Dunham, Kevin Nealon, Mark Normand, Jo Koy, and Whitney Cummings. Among those featured in rare archival footage, who arrived at The Improv as “young newcomers,” per Improv CEO Robert Hartmann, and emerged as “major stars,” are Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld,...
For six decades, The Improv has stood as a trailblazer in the realm of live comedy, serving as one of the primary platforms for both up-and-coming and veteran comedians. In honor of its anniversary, 10 globally acclaimed comedians will light up the stage in Hollywood for a special evening at The Improv, alongside never-before-seen archival footage from today’s household names.
The comics dropping in for short sets include Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Bert Kreischer, Craig Robinson, Deon Cole, Fortune Feimster, Jeff Dunham, Kevin Nealon, Mark Normand, Jo Koy, and Whitney Cummings. Among those featured in rare archival footage, who arrived at The Improv as “young newcomers,” per Improv CEO Robert Hartmann, and emerged as “major stars,” are Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
While Sylvester Stallone’s latest sequel Expend4bles may have been a letdown for the Italian Stallion, Awfully Good Movies is putting on a headband and spandex for John Travolta in the 1983 Stallone-directed sequel to 1977’s Saturday Night Fever: Staying Alive!
After Stallone and Travolta both shot to stardom in the 70s with their respective Oscar-nominated roles of Philly boxer Rocky Balboa and Brooklyn dancer Tony Manero, the two decided to combine their underdog powers for a Saturday Night Fever sequel where Tony trades in the disco floor for the Broadway stage, with Stallone rewriting and directing in the wake of Rocky III’s phenomenal success and providing a “sly” cameo as himself. And while the follow-up would end up as one of the year’s biggest moneymakers, audiences and critics deemed it to be a campy downgrade from the gritty predecessor, as Tony’s Broadway breakout is threatened by...
After Stallone and Travolta both shot to stardom in the 70s with their respective Oscar-nominated roles of Philly boxer Rocky Balboa and Brooklyn dancer Tony Manero, the two decided to combine their underdog powers for a Saturday Night Fever sequel where Tony trades in the disco floor for the Broadway stage, with Stallone rewriting and directing in the wake of Rocky III’s phenomenal success and providing a “sly” cameo as himself. And while the follow-up would end up as one of the year’s biggest moneymakers, audiences and critics deemed it to be a campy downgrade from the gritty predecessor, as Tony’s Broadway breakout is threatened by...
- 10/3/2023
- by Jesse Shade
- JoBlo.com
After announcing late Wednesday afternoon that “Real Time” will start producing new episodes without writers amid the ongoing strike, Bill Maher received harsh criticism not only from members of the the Writers Guild of America and their supporters, but also from the guild itself.
WGA West, which Maher belongs to, said in a statement that the decision to resume the show “while his guild is on strike” is “disappointing,” and urged him to “honor more than the ‘spirit of the strike,'” referencing a quote from Maher’s announcement earlier Wednesday.
Maher, the guild statement continued, “is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing service.” And confirming the guild intends to picket the show, WGA added “It is difficult to imagine how @RealTimers can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place.”
Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while...
WGA West, which Maher belongs to, said in a statement that the decision to resume the show “while his guild is on strike” is “disappointing,” and urged him to “honor more than the ‘spirit of the strike,'” referencing a quote from Maher’s announcement earlier Wednesday.
Maher, the guild statement continued, “is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing service.” And confirming the guild intends to picket the show, WGA added “It is difficult to imagine how @RealTimers can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place.”
Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while...
- 9/14/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
A fresh-faced comedian walks through New York after having woken up and feeding his fish. He's got a nearly beatific smile on his face as he's wished good luck and almost instantly told by those same people (with sarcastic tones) that there's no pressure, because he's been chosen to replace one of the most beloved comedians to ever grace the small screen. He's tall, lanky, with a shock of red hair, and he's just barely reached the age of 30. Everyone from John Tesh to Tom Brokaw to passers-by give him some version of these remarks ("Ya better be as good as Letterman!"), and he takes them all in good stride. He walks into 30 Rockefeller Center, gets ready for his first TV hosting gig, taking over the "Late Night" show on NBC at 12:35 am. He walks into his dressing room, where he proceeds to attempt hanging himself. It's only when...
- 9/12/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
Vice TV has set the premiere date and released the trailer for “Dark Side of Comedy” Season 2, its “Dark Side” spinoff series that explores the behind-the-scenes stories of iconic comedians.
Season 2 subjects include Robin Williams, Sam Kinison, Joan Rivers, Carlos Mencia, Phil Hartman, Tracy Morgan, the sitcom “Family Matters,” Ellen DeGeneres, Norm MacDonald and Gilda Radner.
“Dark Side of Comedy” Season 2 is narrated by Dave Foley with commentators including Pauly Shore, Marc Maron, Tiffany Haddish, Pamela Aldon, Sally Jesse Raphael, Mike Binder and Rolanda Watts.
In the Season 2 trailer, Binder says Williams was “running with a lot of really scary figures — and Robin himself was kind of a scary figure for a while.” Haddish says Rivers “was a hustler,” and describes her as “mean as hell.” And Watts describes an experience where DeGeneres “sat there as if we weren’t even there.”
Per Vice TV’s description for the new installment: “‘Dark Side of Comedy,...
Season 2 subjects include Robin Williams, Sam Kinison, Joan Rivers, Carlos Mencia, Phil Hartman, Tracy Morgan, the sitcom “Family Matters,” Ellen DeGeneres, Norm MacDonald and Gilda Radner.
“Dark Side of Comedy” Season 2 is narrated by Dave Foley with commentators including Pauly Shore, Marc Maron, Tiffany Haddish, Pamela Aldon, Sally Jesse Raphael, Mike Binder and Rolanda Watts.
In the Season 2 trailer, Binder says Williams was “running with a lot of really scary figures — and Robin himself was kind of a scary figure for a while.” Haddish says Rivers “was a hustler,” and describes her as “mean as hell.” And Watts describes an experience where DeGeneres “sat there as if we weren’t even there.”
Per Vice TV’s description for the new installment: “‘Dark Side of Comedy,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix announced on Monday that A Woman’s Prayer, the first-ever comedy special from actor and comedian Kountry Wayne, will premiere on the platform September 19th.
Filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the special has the rising star comic meditate on everything from fatherhood to gender dynamics and faith. It’s directed by Jeff Tomsic, who in addition to the 2018 feature comedy Tag and shows like Idiotsitter, has helmed specials for everyone from Bert Kreischer to Steve Rannazzisi (Breaking Dad), Kurt Metzger (White Precious) and the late Norm Macdonald (the 3x Emmy-nominated Nothing Special).
Wayne, Tomsic, and Matthew Vaughan of Rotten Science served as executive producers.
One of the most in-demand touring comedians in the country, Wayne is currently out on the road for his “Help Is On The Way” tour...
Filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the special has the rising star comic meditate on everything from fatherhood to gender dynamics and faith. It’s directed by Jeff Tomsic, who in addition to the 2018 feature comedy Tag and shows like Idiotsitter, has helmed specials for everyone from Bert Kreischer to Steve Rannazzisi (Breaking Dad), Kurt Metzger (White Precious) and the late Norm Macdonald (the 3x Emmy-nominated Nothing Special).
Wayne, Tomsic, and Matthew Vaughan of Rotten Science served as executive producers.
One of the most in-demand touring comedians in the country, Wayne is currently out on the road for his “Help Is On The Way” tour...
- 8/22/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Ray Liotta received a posthumous Emmy nomination for his role as Big Jim Keene in Dennis Lehane’s “Black Bird,” the Apple TV+ true crime series based on the real life of serial killer Larry Hall.
Liotta was nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series alongside his costar Paul Water Hauser, Richard Jenkins , Murray Bartlett, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino and Jesse Plemons..
Liotta joins the small list of actors who have received posthumous Primetime Emmy nominations, including last year’s nomination of Chadwick Boseman (“What If…?”), Norm MacDonald (“Nothing Special”) and Jessica Walters (“Archer”) and the previous nominations of Carrie Fisher (“Catastrophe”), Audrey Hepburn (“Gardens of the World With Audrey Hepburn”), Anthony Bourdain (Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”) and Fred Willard (“Modern Family”).
Liotta starred in “Black Bird” opposite Taron Egerton as his character’s son, Jimmy Keene, and Paul Walter Hauser as the infamous Larry Hall. The cast...
Liotta was nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series alongside his costar Paul Water Hauser, Richard Jenkins , Murray Bartlett, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino and Jesse Plemons..
Liotta joins the small list of actors who have received posthumous Primetime Emmy nominations, including last year’s nomination of Chadwick Boseman (“What If…?”), Norm MacDonald (“Nothing Special”) and Jessica Walters (“Archer”) and the previous nominations of Carrie Fisher (“Catastrophe”), Audrey Hepburn (“Gardens of the World With Audrey Hepburn”), Anthony Bourdain (Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”) and Fred Willard (“Modern Family”).
Liotta starred in “Black Bird” opposite Taron Egerton as his character’s son, Jimmy Keene, and Paul Walter Hauser as the infamous Larry Hall. The cast...
- 7/12/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
In Hollywood it only takes one role to turn you into an icon, and one moment to take it all away. Long before cancel culture was a phrase, one iconic celebrity had a meltdown of epic proportions that helped usher in the age of the viral video. As many TV stars have found out, life after a hugely successful show can be quite tough for some. With Julia Louis-Dreyfus winning countless Emmy’s, Jason Alexander returning to his stage roots and Jerry Seinfeld continuing his legendary stand up career, its time we find out what happened to the other member of Seinfeld’s iconic cast: Wtf Happened to Michael Richards? Ya know… Kramer!
But as always we must begin at the beginning and the beginning began on his birthday July 24, 1949 in Culver City, California. After starting on the stand up circuit in 1979, Richards career would take off when he was...
But as always we must begin at the beginning and the beginning began on his birthday July 24, 1949 in Culver City, California. After starting on the stand up circuit in 1979, Richards career would take off when he was...
- 7/7/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
Amid the pending fate of its co-parent company Vice Media Group, Vice TV is focusing on its latest season of “Dark Side of the Ring,” and Vice Studios-produced projects recently launched on other platforms, including “American Gladiators” on ESPN, “Bama Rush” at Max, and “100 Days to Indy” at the CW network.
It’s also looking to the future, ordering second seasons of “Dark Side of Comedy” and “Sex Before the Internet” and greenlighting new series “Dark Side of the 2000s” for its own cable channel, in addition to moving Vice web series “One Star Reviews” to linear.
As Vice’s president of global TV, Morgan Hertzan, put it, the Vice TV network — which is part owned by A+E Networks — is “very, very busy” right now.
“The parts of the business that I oversee are doing really well,” Hertzan told Variety. “And I have to say, our partners through...
It’s also looking to the future, ordering second seasons of “Dark Side of Comedy” and “Sex Before the Internet” and greenlighting new series “Dark Side of the 2000s” for its own cable channel, in addition to moving Vice web series “One Star Reviews” to linear.
As Vice’s president of global TV, Morgan Hertzan, put it, the Vice TV network — which is part owned by A+E Networks — is “very, very busy” right now.
“The parts of the business that I oversee are doing really well,” Hertzan told Variety. “And I have to say, our partners through...
- 6/12/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
The summer movie season of 1998 actually began twelve months previously. While the Jurassic Park sequel The Lost World was still marauding around the multiplexes, a teaser trailer suddenly appeared showing a group of schoolchildren in a museum staring up in awe at the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Suddenly a gigantic lizard’s foot crashes through the ceiling and crushes the T-Rex as if it were an ant. Guess who’s coming to town…
Sony TriStar
Kicking off a marketing campaign like that, a full year before Godzilla rose up from the depths was pretty much unprecedented back in 1997. It signalled the arrival of the age of internet marketing. You could even download the trailer to watch at home if you didn’t mind waiting eleven hours for the privilege.
After months of hype, Godzilla finally arrived on Memorial Day. It was Roland Emmerich’s first movie since reinventing the...
Sony TriStar
Kicking off a marketing campaign like that, a full year before Godzilla rose up from the depths was pretty much unprecedented back in 1997. It signalled the arrival of the age of internet marketing. You could even download the trailer to watch at home if you didn’t mind waiting eleven hours for the privilege.
After months of hype, Godzilla finally arrived on Memorial Day. It was Roland Emmerich’s first movie since reinventing the...
- 6/9/2023
- by Cai Ross
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
For further proof that Elon Musk’s approach to verification on Twitter can change on a whim, some top users on the social platform with significant followings — including stars who have died — were reverified over the weekend with no explanation from the company.
The reverification comes after Twitter mass removed blue verification check marks from legacy users on April 20, impacting a whole slew of public figures — including Kim Kardashian and the Pope — and journalists without the badge. That same day, however, Musk claimed he was personally paying for three users — LeBron James, Stephen King and William Shatner — to retain their verification.
At the time, a source close to James told The Hollywood Reporter that the NBA star had received an email from Twitter offering a comped subscription, but James had never responded to it to accept the subscription.
By Sunday, the platform appeared to reverse course, adding the blue check...
The reverification comes after Twitter mass removed blue verification check marks from legacy users on April 20, impacting a whole slew of public figures — including Kim Kardashian and the Pope — and journalists without the badge. That same day, however, Musk claimed he was personally paying for three users — LeBron James, Stephen King and William Shatner — to retain their verification.
At the time, a source close to James told The Hollywood Reporter that the NBA star had received an email from Twitter offering a comped subscription, but James had never responded to it to accept the subscription.
By Sunday, the platform appeared to reverse course, adding the blue check...
- 4/23/2023
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New Delhi, April 23 (Ians) Twitter’s blue tick saga has taken an interesting turn after celebrities who are no more, including late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, late Hollywood actor Chadwick Boseman and late American singer Chester Bennington, got their blue tick restored.
A statement explaining the restoration of the service for the celebrities who passed away said that the “account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number”. However, it is not clear who paid for the service.
The last activity seen on Rajput and Bennington’s Twitter account was in 2019 and 2017 respectively.
Sushant, who featured in Bollywood movies like ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ and ‘Chhichhore’, was found hanging in his Mumbai flat on June 14, 2020. He died at the age of 34.
Chadwick, who starred in the movie ‘Black Panther’, died in August 2020 after a battle with colon cancer. He passed away at the age of 43.
Chester,...
A statement explaining the restoration of the service for the celebrities who passed away said that the “account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number”. However, it is not clear who paid for the service.
The last activity seen on Rajput and Bennington’s Twitter account was in 2019 and 2017 respectively.
Sushant, who featured in Bollywood movies like ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ and ‘Chhichhore’, was found hanging in his Mumbai flat on June 14, 2020. He died at the age of 34.
Chadwick, who starred in the movie ‘Black Panther’, died in August 2020 after a battle with colon cancer. He passed away at the age of 43.
Chester,...
- 4/23/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Television is a competitive industry, and the fact that some series have been running for so long means something. Whether it’s children’s entertainment or daytime dramas, plenty of iconic examples of series have stayed on our television screens for decades. From soap operas to late-night comedy programs, these 10 TV shows in America stand out as having had incredible longevity – longer runs than any other program ever seen.
Related: Top 10 Best TV Series of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
Some casting changes were made along the way, others lasting through cultural shifts and disruptions within media outlets like never before witnessed. Regardless of these factors, their success has earned them an impressive spot among history’s longest-standing fixtures in American television programming.
Longest Running TV Shows of All Time All My Children (1970 – 2013) 43 years One Life to Live (1968 – 2013) 48 years Saturday Night Live (1975 – Present) 48 years The Young and the Restless (1973 – Present...
Related: Top 10 Best TV Series of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
Some casting changes were made along the way, others lasting through cultural shifts and disruptions within media outlets like never before witnessed. Regardless of these factors, their success has earned them an impressive spot among history’s longest-standing fixtures in American television programming.
Longest Running TV Shows of All Time All My Children (1970 – 2013) 43 years One Life to Live (1968 – 2013) 48 years Saturday Night Live (1975 – Present) 48 years The Young and the Restless (1973 – Present...
- 4/15/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
The first episode of "Saturday Night Live" to feature its now-famous "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch aired on December 7, 1996. The episode's guest host, Martin Short, played Jerry Lewis. Norm McDonald played Burt Reynolds. Most notoriously, Darren Hammond played Sean Connery. The central gag of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" is that the celebrities are all kind of dumb, to the point that they don't seem to perceive that they are on a game show. Alex Trebek (Will Farrell) can barely mask his annoyance with their outward idiocy. "Celebrity Jeopardy!" also gained a lot of traction in allowing SNL's guest hosts to do their worst celebrity impersonations. Tobey Maguire, for instance, doesn't look or sound very much like Keanu Reeves, nor does Jimmy Fallon resemble Hilary Swank, but they ere impersonated anyway. In one notable twist, Tom Hanks played himself, only he was a version of himself that was too dumb to get his hand out of a pickle jar.
- 3/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It's no secret that Christian Bale takes his roles seriously. So seriously, that he'll commit to massive weight changes to help get into character — a practice he said he's finished with as of 2019. The actor famously shed almost all his body fat to play the sleep-deprived 121-pound protagonist of "The Machinist" before bulking up to 240 pounds to take on the role of the Dark Knight in 2005's "Batman Begins." Since then he's fluctuated in weight with every role he's taken. Bale once again packed on the pounds to play Dick Cheney in 2018's "Vice," then immediately dropped 40 pounds to play British racing driver Ken Miles in "Ford v Ferrari" — prompting his co-star Matt Damon to praise his "monk-like discipline."
And his commitment to roles extends beyond weight fluctuations. For 2022's "Amsterdam," Bale became a bit of a stalker after seeing a man on the street whose movements he wanted to...
And his commitment to roles extends beyond weight fluctuations. For 2022's "Amsterdam," Bale became a bit of a stalker after seeing a man on the street whose movements he wanted to...
- 3/12/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
There are a few moments on Saturday Night Live that make the audience gasp. Sinead O’Connor tearing a picture of the Pope was one. Fortunately, most of those get cut before they go live. Still, Saturday Night Live records the dress rehearsals and some of those sketches have appeared since. Longtime SNL Head Writer Jim Downey remembers a Norm Macdonald Weekend Update joke that was so shocking, they used the sound of the audience gasping in live shows later.
Norm Macdonald | Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Downey was a guest on Dana Carvey and David Spade’s Fly on the Wall podcast on May 11. Reminiscing about the good old days of Saturday Night Live, Downey shared the Macdonald joke that never made it to air, but the reaction to which lived on.
Norm Macdonald went too far with this ‘Saturday Night Live...
Norm Macdonald | Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Downey was a guest on Dana Carvey and David Spade’s Fly on the Wall podcast on May 11. Reminiscing about the good old days of Saturday Night Live, Downey shared the Macdonald joke that never made it to air, but the reaction to which lived on.
Norm Macdonald went too far with this ‘Saturday Night Live...
- 2/28/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Actor and comedian Chris Farley really didn't need too much extra help to act totally unhinged, but he apparently used the power of caffeine to fuel at least one of his famously funny improv performances. In the 1995 Adam Sandler film "Billy Madison," Farley plays an elementary school bus driver who gets completely fed up with the rambunctious kids on his bus after one of them hits him in the back of the head with a sandwich while he's driving; he's a huffing, puffing rage machine. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment celebrating the movie's 25th anniversary, director Tamra Davis recalled how Farley had used espresso to get to the level of intensity he wanted, but that it was also a little scary in the moment for the director.
Farley was one of the most popular comedic actors of the 1990s. Though his tragic death in 1997 cut his career and life far too short.
Farley was one of the most popular comedic actors of the 1990s. Though his tragic death in 1997 cut his career and life far too short.
- 1/6/2023
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Oftentimes it wasn't what Chris Farley did that made him so funny, but rather how he did it. Such is the case for a one-off "Saturday Night Live" skit that never made it past the dress rehearsal of a 1994 episode. In the skit, "Weekend Update" correspondent Jerry Sozio offers an editorial about something that occurred "in the supermarket the other day."
The audience never finds out exactly what happened to Sozio in the supermarket because he laughs so hard about it, he just keeps repeating himself over and over, trying to get it out. If the bit feels like something Farley might have done himself, that's because it was. According to one of Farley's "SNL" co-stars, the entire bit was inspired by a classic Farley backstage gag that he'd break out all the time.
Although it never made it to air, it is not uncommon for axed sketches from the...
The audience never finds out exactly what happened to Sozio in the supermarket because he laughs so hard about it, he just keeps repeating himself over and over, trying to get it out. If the bit feels like something Farley might have done himself, that's because it was. According to one of Farley's "SNL" co-stars, the entire bit was inspired by a classic Farley backstage gag that he'd break out all the time.
Although it never made it to air, it is not uncommon for axed sketches from the...
- 1/2/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Forget presents and festive cheer -- for many, the real gift of Christmas is that it allows us some precious downtime to revisit a few familiar festive faves. There's just something oddly soothing about knowing that, during the period between Christmas and New Year's when time slows to a crawl and we all collectively lose track of what day it is, the only thing we're actually expected to do is chill out, get comfy, and rewatch seasonal classics that we've all seen countless times before.
That said, what if you're craving something new to add to your annual Christmas rotation? After all, December can't always be about "Home Alone" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol." Sometimes you need to mix it up with something new and unexpected. If this sounds like you, then perhaps it's time you turned your attention to a Christmas movie or special that's gone underappreciated since its debut.
That said, what if you're craving something new to add to your annual Christmas rotation? After all, December can't always be about "Home Alone" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol." Sometimes you need to mix it up with something new and unexpected. If this sounds like you, then perhaps it's time you turned your attention to a Christmas movie or special that's gone underappreciated since its debut.
- 12/12/2022
- by Simon Bland
- Slash Film
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